A Tree
by RealityInMyDreams
Summary: A one-shot where Elphaba and Galinda spend their afternoon near a tree watching the sunset.  GELPHIE.


**Author's Note: Sorry for the lack of any type of work but a lot has happened in my life. But I am really trying to make an effort to start writing again and hopefully I can put together another multi-chapter story soon.**

**This one-shot is dedicated to a friend that I lost not too long ago and was very important to me. She had the ability to make me laugh, think, but overall made me want to live my life to the fullest. She had so much life in such a small body and I wish that she was here to continue bringing smiles to all our faces. I have never met a person who loved life so much and I doubt I ever will. I'm just glad that I was blessed to know her and I will always consider her as one of my best friends. I miss you Cris and even though you're gone, you're not forgotten.**

**She always had a running joke about a tree that never really made sense to anyone but made her crack up over and over :) So I thought it would be fitting to center my one-shot around a tree. Anyway, here it goes, hopefully everyone enjoys it :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of its characters.  
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**A Tree**

The cool gentle breeze swept through Shiz as the sun was setting on another day. The leaves on the trees started to change color as a sign of the upcoming fall season. Even though school was to be starting soon it was just another lazy afternoon for two students.

Galinda and Elphaba sat under a tree that was partially secluded near the lake watching the sunset on a blanket with their shoes off. Galinda was positioned with her back against Elphaba's chest while Elphaba leaned back against the tree with her arms wrapped around the small blonde.

"I love doing this." Galinda said with a sigh.

"Doing what?" Elphaba questioned.

"Spending a quiet afternoon with the love of my life just relaxing and being close." Galinda said.

Elphaba smiled. "So do I." She said as she held Galinda closer.

"When I was younger, I would sneak away and climb into trees just to be alone and watch the sun go to bed." Galinda said as she laid her head back on Elphaba's shoulder.

"You climbed trees?" Elphaba asked incredulously with a slight chuckle.

Galinda turned to look at the brunette. "Yes I climbed trees."

"I'm sorry, I just can't imagine the prim and proper Galinda Upland climbing trees and possibly getting her various dresses dirty." Elphaba laughed.

Galinda scoffed and stood up abruptly before putting her shoes back on.

Elphaba watched as her laughing started to subside. "What are you doing?"

"Proving you wrong." Galinda said in a determined voice as she grabbed a low branch and started to ascend the tree.

"Galinda!" Elphaba cried out as she quickly stood up as well. "Get down before you hurt yourself."

"I'm not as fragile as you think I am." Galinda said as she continued her way up higher into the tree.

"I don't think you're fragile." Elphaba said looking up at her blonde girlfriend. "Just come down from there."

"No." Galinda said defiantly.

"Please. I'm sorry I didn't believe you but I do now." Elphaba said desperately as she saw Galinda go higher and higher.

Galinda stopped climbing and looked down. "If you want me to come down, you're going to have to come and get me."

Elphaba watched as Galinda went back to climbing and got the courage to grab a branch to start climbing herself. "Ok you win, I'm coming up. Can you please stop going higher now?"

"Why? You'll just go back to thinking I'm some spoiled Princess." Galinda said.

"I don't think that at all. It was just hard for me to imagine you as a child climbing trees but I believe you now. Please Galinda just stopped going up." Elphaba said as she carefully maneuvered through the tree, not daring to look down.

"I just don't want you to think I'm weak." Galinda said.

"I don't think you're weak. I just... its just..." Elphaba said while her voice started to shake.

"What?" Galinda asked as she stopped and looked down again.

"I don't want you to get hurt!" Elphaba exclaimed as her knuckles turned white from the death grip she currently had on the tree.

Galinda noticed the panic in Elphaba's eyes and became concerned. "Elphie? Are you ok?" She asked with thoughts of her previous defiance gone.

"No." Elphaba said as she reached Galinda's level and held onto the thick tree branch supporting the two of them.

"What's wrong?" Galinda asked as she reached for Elphaba's hand.

"No!" Elphaba yelled out, startling Galinda. "Hold onto the tree!"

"Elphie what is it?" Galinda asked as she looked into Elphaba's eyes which were filled with fear.

"I'm sort of... you know." Elphaba looked down and gripped the tree even harder.

"Is this about me getting hurt?" Galinda asked as she moved closer to the brunette.

"No, well yes." Elphaba said as she closed her eyes for a quick moment before looking back at Galinda and speaking in a shy voice. "I'm just afraid of heights."

Galinda gasped. "Oz Elphie! If I had known that I would not have made you climb the tree."

"I know, but I really did not want you getting hurt as well." Elphaba said as she started getting her breathing back to normal.

"I know that now." Galinda said as she slowly stroked Elphaba's hand, which wasn't gripping the tree branch as hard as before.

"Its just that when I was younger I fell out of a tree and broke my arm. Since then I have not climbed a tree." Elphaba said after taking a deep breath to control her racing heart.

"What happened?" Galinda asked as she saw Elphaba start to calm down.

"I was 12 and my father was upset at me for leaving my books on the floor in the library. He was looking for me so I went to a big tree that was near the garden that I would spend time in since I blended well with the leaves." Elphaba said with a slight grin. "Anyway, as I was climbing, one of the branches gave way and I lost my balance and fell. My arm was broken in 2 places. Good thing about that was Nanny found me in pain and I escaped my father's beating while my arm was in a cast. But ever since then I became afraid of heights and avoided climbing trees. So when I saw you climbing the tree I started to panic, thinking you might fall as well."

"Oh Elphie I'm so sorry. I just got upset when you thought I was weak and spoiled." Galinda said with guilt in her eyes.

"I do not think that at all. You're very strong-willed and independent." Elphaba said as she looked at Galinda. "It was just honestly hard for me to picture you climbing trees since you are very proper."

"Well my mother did hate when I got my dresses dirty." Galinda chuckled.

Elphaba smiled and moved closer to Galinda. "I really did not mean to offend you."

"I know." Galinda said. "I just took it the wrong way and wanted to prove to you that I am not some dumb blonde girly-girl."

Elphaba moved closer again and wrapped her arm around the smaller girl's waist. "Well...you are blonde." She said while smiling.

Galinda giggled before sobering up. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry as well." Elphaba said before Galinda leaned in and kissed her softly.

Once both girls slowly pulled apart, Galinda laid her head on Elphaba's shoulder as Elphaba held Galinda closer by the waist.

"Now this is a great way to watch the sunset." Galinda said with a sigh of content.

"It is, so long as we don't fall." Elphaba said with a grin.

"Don't worry, I won't let you fall." Galinda said with a small grin too.

Just then Elphaba conjured up a small knife and turned to the tree trunk where she carved "E+G" inside a heart.

"Elphie...that's so sweet." Galinda said as she saw the carving.

"I want this to be our special tree, so its only fitting for it to have a reminder of us always embedded on it." Elphaba explained as she conjured the knife away before cuddling up with Galinda again to watch the sunset.

As the sun dropped lower and lower, the sky was a mix of pinks, purples, reds, and yellows. Appearing as if everything was in a calm haze of vibrant colors touching the Earth and freezing time. No sounds was heard aside from the gentle wind rustling through the leaves on the tree and birds chirping. It was truly peaceful and both girls never wanted to leave their little spot in the tree.

"I think I can get used to climbing trees again if you're at the top waiting for me." Elphaba said while smiling into Galinda's soft curls.

Galinda smiled and looked up at Elphaba. "I'll always be at the top waiting for you."

"I love you." Elphaba said softly as she stared into Galinda's bright blue eyes.

"I love you too." Galinda said, staring back at Elphaba's rich brown eyes.

Both girls leaned in and kissed each other slowly and deeply as the sun was finally gone and all that was left were the bright colors mixing in the sky. Of course Galinda and Elphaba were oblivious to nature's beauty because of the private bubble they had created. As the girls pulled away and just looked into each other's eyes, they were in content and happy. All arguments and fears were in the past and they just lived in the present time, enjoying every moment. This was all possible from just...

...a tree.

**Well there you have it. This one-shot was very important for me because I had been wanting to dedicate a story to my old friend. So any positive reviews would be greatly appreciated.**

**Another thing... If my friend taught me one thing it was to never give up. Always live your life as if you only have a short time on Earth. I don't know about you, but I have every intention to living a happy and fulfilled life :D I hope you do the same thing :) Thanks!**

**-RealityInMyDreams**


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